Shusaku Endo is considered one of Japan's greatest modern writers. His novel Silence is acknowledged as a masterpiece and has been translated into many languages. The Final Martyrs, published in English just before his death in 1996, reinforced his reputation as a major literary figure. Endo was born in 1923 and converted to Christianity as a boy. His stories and novels attempt to integrate his religious faith with Japanese culture. Endorsements "This...